Go figure..

Of course, my computer won't upload my audio interview I did for this week's assignment..my guess is maybe the audio file is big so my computer or camera software is having a hard time processing it...

For this week's assignment, I talked to Renee Klezczynski, assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of New Hampshire. Renee primarily works with the UNH Men's socer team, and the UNH Women's hockey team. Even though I am not working directly with either of those teams, she gave me some good insight on the athletic training program. When student athletes first enter the university, they are constantly pounded with information about there diets, injury prevention, and the effects drinking has on there personal performance. As juniors and seniors, they start to live on there own, and the responsibility they carry increases. Along with injury prevention, diet, and drinking, strength conditioning is also thrown into the mix. Again, freshman and sophomore year they work closely with the Strength & Conditioning staff to develop a routine, and then as they become upper classman, they can tweek there own workout routines to fit there personal goals.

One big thing Renee emphasized is the difference between a "hurt" athlete, and an "injured" athlete. Being hurt is experiencing pain, and being injured is not being able to function that part of the body. Obviously, those aren't here exact words and I wish my camera was working, because obviously this is Renee's speciality and she explained it far better than I can.

All of the treatments athletes receives vary on the athlete. If an athlete is injured, they can be in the training room 2-3 times a day. The trainers keep records of the athletes process in rehabilitation stage. Those records are updated each time the athlete leaves the training room. For "hurt" athletes, they normally come into the training room before and after practice.

One point Renee wanted to emphasize was that people often overlook the trainers other duties; including dealing with insurance and medical forms, and being the middle person between the athlete and the coach. People often have the assumption trainers just deal with athletes, but there job description is more than that.

Another component to the athletic training program is the student athletic trainers. After there freshmen year, the students immediatley get involved with the program, first observing a team and obtaining as much information as possible. After that, a "draft" is set up where students pick the top three teams they want to work with, and then they get assigned. Some of the rules are they need to spend a specific amount of time with a sports team of a different sex, and a certain amount of time with a full contact sport. Outside of UNH athletics, student athletic trainers also work with local sports teams in the seacoast.

My interview with Renee was informative, and I really enjoyed talking to her. Now, since I have an overview of the program I am working with, it's time to move onto the athlete. More to come...